Electrical cable connectors of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,950 are often used in environments in which cryogenic temperatures may prevail, for example temperatures as low as minus 452 degrees F.. In such a cryogenic temperature range the physical and chemical characteristics of materials often change. A material having elastic properties at ambient temperatures may acquire inelastic properties at minus 250 degrees F. and retain such inelastic characteristics for temperatures therebelow. When such material become inelastic it may become brittle and its internal structure changed so that application of tensile forces of low order to the material will cause the material to break and fracture. The characteristics of such material in an elastic state may include capability of withstanding compressive forces without desctruction of the material.
Prior proposed electrical cable connectors of the type mentioned above have included an elastomeric seal member of solid disc form provided with a plurality of spaced holes for holding and passing metal electrical contact pins. At least a portion of the surfaces of such a disc is seated against inner chamber surfaces of a shell housing which contains the disc and contact pins and is arranged to mate with a companion electrical connector plug. In such prior proposed connector constructions, difficulty was encountered in maintaining a seal at the contact pins and at shell sealing surfaces when the connector was subjected to cryogenic temperatures. When such prior proposed connectors were subjected to stringent test standards involving subjecting the connector to numerous cycles of temperatures in and out of the cryogenic temperature range, the seals were destroyed because of the thermal shock encountered during such cycling.